From all indications, the Governor of Zamfara State, Bello Matawalle, is set to dump the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) for the All Progressive Congress (APC), investigations have revealed.
It will be recalled that Matawalle became Governor of Zamfar state on the platform of the Peoples Democratic Party following the judgement of the Supreme Court on the crisis that trailed the primaries of APC in the state.
The crisis rocking the APC in the state, a source said, was one of the factors that delayed the defection of the governor. The two warring camps in the state chapter of the party — Abdulaziz Yari and Senator Kabir Garba Marafa factions — had in February reconciled
A source close to the chairman of the national caretaker committee of the APC, Mai Mala Buni, confirmed the defection moves. “The talks on Matawalle’s defection have gone far but wait for him to formally announce it,” the source said, pleading not to be named.
Also, a former governor of the state said a governor who is a member of the APC in the North West is spearheading the defection.
Another source said former governor of Zamfara State, Abdulaziz Yari and other chieftains of the party in Zamfara State have been notified.
“We were told that he will join our party this month. They also told us that the defection is sanctioned by the presidency. Nocturnal meetings to finalise the arrangement are being held,” he said.
Ahead of the defection, it was gathered that the governor met with top officials of his administration in Zamfara State.
Out of the seven states in the North West, five are governed by APC while Sokoto and Zamfara are of the PDP.
The Publicity Secretary of the ruling PDP in the state, Alhaji Farouk Ahmad, said no one had officially informed their party that Matawalle is planning to defect to APC.
“We are just hearing it from the grapevine as you do but I can tell you that PDP as a party is not informed about the decision, so I can’t confirm anything to you,” he said.
In the same vein, the vice chairman of the opposition APC in the state, Alhaji Sani Gwamna Mayanchi, said they were not officially contacted and that APC has nothing to say about it.
On his part, the state Commissioner of Information Alhaji Ibrahim Dosara said “I haven’t discussed anything like that with the executive governor.”
Meanwhile, Secretary of the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee, Senator John James Akpanudoedehe, in a statement on Thursday, said the extension became necessary because of the number of people willing to join the party.
